Movie Reviews

Don't let the word "SIMPLE" in the title fool you! GREAT STR

AussieGal | Victoria, Australia | 06/17/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although this dvd runs for 111 mins, only 45 of these are the actual stretch workout - the rest are very informative 'how to do it' sections and previews of other workouts in their huge series.The stretches are billed as pilates/yoga infused stretches - I saw very little pilates, it is more yoga. The stretches are wonderful, but not simple as the title would suggest although some modifications are demonstrated. The shoulder and leg stretches are my favourites.The quality of the dvd is great, beautiful to look at, great sound (with options to turn off the instruction if you want it quiet) and cued to perfection. The only slight nit-pick I have is there are too many 'downward dogs' (or inverted V's to some), but that is a personal thing - it doesn't warrant any removal of stars.I'd highly recommend this dvd for anyone with reasonable flexibility - true beginners may be a little overwhelmed, even with the modifiers. I do a lot of step, cycling and jogging and this has really loosened my muscles to the point that I can reach well beyond my toes and can put my forehead on my knees - something I could nowhere near achieve 3 months ago."

One of the best DVDs for tight shoulders & hips

30307 | Atlanta, GA United States | 02/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I sit all day for my job and I weight train. That's deadly for my shoulders and hips. I need to stretch more regularly now that I am in my early 40's, so I've been focusing more on yoga and pilates. Having said that, I really didn't expect much from this DVD. It caught me completely by surprise. This routine not only stretched all the tight spots, but it is a very quiet, attentive 45-minute workout with zero "dread" factor. The production quality is quite good: a bright, airy studio and unobtrusive yet soothing piano music in the background. The instruction is unbelievably precise, with careful cueing on both alignment and breath.

My only complaint is the chaptering. The DVD suggests you can select various workouts because it's well-chaptered. Actually, you can only do one position for less than a minute before being push back onto the main menu. That doesn't work for me. Still, it's just as well. I need to do the entire workout to get a sufficient stretch, and would probably opt to be lazy if the chaptering was better. Another downside for some would be the seriousness of this DVD, which is actually quite characteristic of Stott workouts. Stott is nearly clinical with its precision. If you are looking for warm fuzzies, you might want to pass this one by. It's Zen-like with its attentiveness. Finally, know that this is truly a yoga-infused stretch routine rather than pilates. "

Wonderful stretching!

YogaKat | Oregon United States | 04/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love this routine and use it a couple time a week in the morning to get by body ready for the day. You start with a very nice warm up for breathing, neck stretch, eagle arm stretching, hip rotations and cat stretches. Then, you move on to downward dog, high lunge series, pigeon, and forward stretching. Then brief children pose rest, and on to more yoga poses including forward bends, thunderbolt, knee to chest, side twists, bridge, then ending in savasana. The pace is very good and you hold the positions for the perfect amount of time. My whole body feels fully stretched after this routine. Also, you get clips of all of Stott's other DVDs which is very helpful. The only downfall to this DVD is the chaptering as the other person mentioned (too much chaptering). Also, I wish the savasana was a bit longer and I wish they didn't come on afterwards and starting talking when I would have like the quiet time. I look forward to trying the other 2 DVDs for this series."

Good strech

eugene | Harrisburg, PA | 06/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I find this workout very beneficial. The instructor's voice is very calming, and relaxed. The backgroud looks also calming. Everything seems to be in perfect balance in this DVD. Some exercises are a little hard to do but then again you can measure your progress. I would definately recomend it."

Poor Modifications and Not Relaxing.

M. Okiwe | Boston, MA | 03/27/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"As a huge Stott fan and a faithful Yogi, I thought I would be really happy with this DVD, but I was very disappointed. Having done Yoga for several years now, I consider myself an intermediate level exerciser, but I found some of these exercises bordered advance and had no place in this DVD, and PJ O'Clair should have offered modifications where she did not. For example, the opening sitting position was extremely uncomfortable for me and demanded a superior amount of flexibility in the hips. As open as I am in the hip area, I couldn't manage it and had to modify by sitting in the more traditional Yoga position (cross legged with one heel in front of the other), and this wasn't even given as an option in the DVD. Also, the "modified" Pigeon was not quite so modified at all, again demanding superior elasticity in the hips. How many level 1 exercises can execute such a demanding exercise with or without a Yoga strap? Other difficult "beginner" exercises included The Hydrant and the Side Leg Lift with Knee Extension. If I found these exercises demanding, how would a beginner feel? Most importantly, I walked away from this DVD feeling like I had a workout and not like I had an intense/active meditative stretch like I normally do when I have finished my Yoga workouts. I just don't feel this DVD lived up to the promise of being a level 1 workout or the promise of relieving stress and tension. This will be my last Stott Pilates-infused Yoga purchase for sure."